1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an electrode conductive material, an electrode material, and an electrode and a lithium battery each including the electrode material.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Lithium secondary batteries have drawn attention as a power source of small, portable electronic devices. Since lithium secondary batteries contain an organic electrolyte solution, they have a discharge voltage that is at least two times that of general batteries including an aqueous alkali electrolyte, and thus have a higher energy density.
Lithium secondary batteries use a conductive material for allowing charges generated due to an electrochemical reaction between electrode active materials to migrate smoothly, and some lithium secondary batteries include a carbon black-based carbonaceous material as a conductive material. Since most positive active materials have poor conductivity, a positive electrode plate contains a conductive material. However, as for a negative electrode plate including a carbonaceous-based negative active material such as graphite, a conductive material is not used because the active material itself has high conductivity. However, recently developed high-performance lithium titanium oxide negative electrodes have poor conductivity and thus, about 5 to 10 weight % carbon black is used together therewith in the manufacturing process.
The increase in the amount of a conductive material for improving conductivity of electrode plates necessarily leads to a decrease in the amount of an electrode active material and thus, a battery capacity may be reduced. The present embodiments overcome the above problems as well as provide additional advantages.